Paper and article container for automobiles



Feb. 1953 P. N. INNIS 2,628,008

PAPER AND ARTICLE CONTAINER FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed Sept. 2. 1948 @WETRK LONG ISLAND Imnenfot Bu attorneys Patented Feb. 10, 1953 PAPER AND ARTICLE CONTAINER FOR AUTOMOBILES Perry N. Innis, Bridgeport, Conn. Application September 2, 1948, Serial No. 47,426

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a papers file for use in conjunction with automobile sun visors, and has for an object to provide a simple construction which may be readily mounted under the automobile top above the sun visor, which will provide a series of compartments or pockets to receive various papers and similar articles, such, for example, as road maps and the like, in a position where they will be readily accessible to the driver and will be retained in such position so that they may always be readily located and will always be held in the same location.

' Another object is to provide a device of this character which will be independent of the sun visor, although covered by it when the sun visor is in the upper or retracted position, so that when the sun visor is turned down for use, although such action will expose this device it will not shift it so that the papers will be discharged therefrom.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which if desired may be mounted by the same means as is used for mounting the sun visor, and may be used either right or left handed so that it may be mounted in conjunction with either the right or left hand visor, and which is so mounted that if desired it may be swung and tipped downwardly to lower the open or upper sides of the compartments so that any small article that may be in the lower part of a compartment and otherwise inaccessible may be readily discharged from the compartment.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, I have devised the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification. It is, however, to be understood the invention is not limited to the specific details of construction and arrangement shown, but may embody various changes and modifications within the scope of the invention.

In this drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the device with a portion of the mounting means broken away to more clearly show the construction;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof Fig. 3 is a front elevation of a portion of a sun visor and one end portion of this device showing their relation when the visor is in the lower position for use;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the front portion of an automobile showing this device in relation to the sun visor when this visor is folded up out of position, and

Fig. 5 is a view of an end portion of the device showing a modified construction.

The device comprises a hollow elongated substantially fiat body portion I I] closed at its lower edge by a transverse wall I I and open at its upper edge. It comprises spaced substantially flat side walls I2 and I3 connected by end walls I4 and I5, and a series of spaced intermediate transverse walls or partitions I6 providing a series of pockets or compartments II, I8 and I9 openin through the top edge of the body. These partitions may be spaced to form pockets or compartments of different widths, as shown, depending on the articles to be carried in these compartments. For example, compartment I! may be of a width to carry folded road maps 29 or similar papers, while the smaller compartment I9 may be used for carrying pencils or similar articles. It is also preferred that the body be tapered from the top edge to the lower edge, being narrower at the lower edge so that the compartments or pockets are narrower at the bottom, so that if filled with papers, maps and the like and they are forced down to the bottom, these walls will have a certain gripping efiect on these papers or other articles to retain them in the pockets. This taper is shown in Fig. 4 and indicated in Fig. 2 by the three parallel longitudinal lines at each of the top and bottom edges of the device, the inner lines indicating the width at the closed buttoms of the pockets or compartments, while the intermediate lines indicate the edges of the openings at the top or entrances to the compartments. It is also preferred that the upper edge 2| be inclined toward the lower edge, as indicated in Fig. 1, so that the widest part is at the bracket end.

The mounting bracket indicated at 22 comprises a member 23 including a flange 24 secured to the end of the body member by any suitable means, such as the rivets or screws 25. It also includes a threaded stem to receive the cap 26 and also has a pocket or recess 21 to receive a rubber block 28 and the end of a spherical ball 29 which is of greater diameter than the outer flange 30 of the cap so as to provide a universally adjustable ball and socket connection which will permit shifting of the body to diiferent positions or angles. It may, if desired, be clamped in adjusted positions by tightening the cap. The ball is mounted on a stud 3| secured to a mounting bracket plate 32 provided with elongated openings 33 by which the device may be secured by any suitable means, such as screws 34, to the top 35 of the automobile, and this bracket may be secured independently of the bracket 36 for mounting the sun visor 31 or the same screws could be used for mounting both brackets, as shown in Fig. 3, the two brackets for this purpose being placed in superposed relation. It is also preferred that the openings 33 be elongated so as to accommodate the device for variations in the spacing in the screws for mounting the sun visor.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the device by this arrangement is mounted under the top 35 above the sun visor,-'o'r that is, between this sun visor and the top, as shown particularly in Fig. 4, when this visor is in the raised or retracted position while not in use. It will be seen that in this position the device is covered by the sun visor so that it is ordinarily not visible, although the maps or similar devices 26 are easily accessible at the upper edge of the visor. In this position the holding device is tipped or inclined somewhat with its closed lower edge ll somewhat lower and forwardly of the open upper edge and thus there is no danger of papers or other articles dropping out of this holder due to vibration, and

-so-forth. It will beep-parent that when the sun V-iSOr 37 is swung downwardly to the position of use as shown in Fig. 3, the device is exposed and is readily accessible for removing any papers or other articles, but that shifting of the visor does not shift this holder. Also due to the universal joint provided by the ball and socket the device may be readily shifted to accommodate the device to the location of the sun visor and the car top, so that it may be located in the most advantageous position with minimum interference of the use of the sun visor, and also to make the papers most accessible. Should for any reason a small article be moved to the lower part of any pocket or compartment where it cannot be reached in the ordinary manner, this joint will permit the open or upper sid to be swung downwardly so the article will be discharged out of the pocket. This joint also permits the use of the device either right or left handed, so that the same structure may be mounted over the right hand visor. The front face of the body member makes 'a convenient place if desired for attaching a frame 38 with a transparent cover 39 for carrying a registration card or similar card which will be exposed by merely swinging down the sun visor. The body member may be made of metal, wood, plastic or other suitable material.

-A simplified mounting bracket is shown in Fig.

5. This, instead of including the ball and socket, or a universal joint as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, comprises merely a simple rigid bracket 40 which may be formed of sheet metal including the mounting flange M for securing to the end of the body It], and a body portion provided with elongated openings 42 for mounting it under the top of the automobile, either independently or in conjunction with the bracket 36 of "the sun visor. Otherwise the device is the same as that shown in Figs. 1 to 4, and is used in the same manner, except that in this case the body is rigidly mounted instead of being swingable to various positions, as where the universal joint is used.

,Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, I claim:

A papersfile for automobiles comprising a substantially flat elongated hollow rigid body member closed at its lower edge and open at the top edge, said member comprising a pair of laterally spaced rigid side walls and a series of transverse rigid partition walls extending between and connected to the side walls dividing the space between the side walls into a series of compartments, a mounting bracket secured to th body member adjacent one end including a flattened base provided with openings to receive mounting screws for mounting the body member under an automobile top, said bracket including a member provided with a socket and another member provided with a ball seated in the socket for universal adjustment of the body member to different positions, and means for clamping the ball to secure the member in these positions.

PERRY N. INNIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

